Chapter 193
Chapter 193
However, the heavens seemed to unfortunately not hear their prayers. After five days of traveling under the scorching sun, there was not a puddle in sight, let alone a creek. There were occasional trees and thorny bushes scattered sparsely, but it was extremely difficult to find water. Most of the barrels of water that had been piled up like a mountain in the carts, rapidly ran out. Naturally, washing their bodies was out of the question.
The expedition moved all day through the desolate land without a single blade of grass. They were all covered in sweat and dust, and so far, they had two more monster encounters. Once, three half-dragons pounced on them when they were passing a rocky field, and the next day, all the wagons they were carrying were almost burned to ashes by a salamander hidden among the rocks. Max was terrified by the giant lizard that spewed fire, but the knights were glad to have obtained a precious fire mana stone from the salamander’s body. She had now grown a stomach hard enough to withstand watching monster corpses being taken apart, but there was no other option anyway.
In fact, over the past few days, they have encountered several monsters and she had often seen knights clean the animals that they had hunted for food. That made her fine and sensitive nerves break, she no longer smiled brightly when they found a cute bunny between the crevices of a rock. Instead, she would have a bleak thought about it being an ingredient for the stew that dinner. She couldn’t tell if this change in her was good or bad.
“Commander, there isn’t much water left. We have to find at least a puddle today.”
Evan called as they took a break to feed the horses. Riftan, sitting on a rock and chewing on a piece of dried meat, looked over his shoulders to see the only barrel of water left in the cart. Max could see the crease forming between his eyebrows. He looked around for a moment, then replied calmly in a clear voice for everyone to hear.
“We can reach Caldical Forest by noon. We just need to last four more hours.”
She looked at him curiously, wondering how he could predict routes so accurately. There was nothing around him but rocks and thorn bushes, but Riftan always knew exactly which direction to go and how long it would take to get there. He always led the expedition with great leadership and unwavering conviction, and the knights never doubted his judgments. It was his skills and prudence that were the foundation of the absolute trust the knights had offered him.
After their rest, they set off once more on horseback. They rode for hours without stopping, and soon, as Riftan said, a misty field of green began to emerge from the horizons. Max instantly forgot about the exhaustion that weighed down on her shoulders and led her horse to gallop vigorously towards the forest. A few moments later, the expedition reached the dense forest full of thick trees. Max exhaled deeply as soon as they took refuge under the dark shade provided by the tall foliage.
The air around them was still cloudy from the heat, but thanks to the lush leaves that covered the sun, it made the heat much more bearable. However, after moving for a while into the forest, there was still no water in sight, not even a small puddle. Max became more and more anxious. She wouldn’t probably be able to stand it if she wouldn’t be able to wash herself today. Please... she begged as she looked around, hoping for even a glimpse of a narrow, mottled spring. Then, Riftan suddenly stopped moving and announced to them.
“We will set up camp here. Rain will fall soon. “
Max looked through the leaves at the clear sky. The sun was shining high above them, and the air was suffocatingly muggy. She wondered if it was really going to rain, but got off her horse without saying a word. The knights were already pitching their tents among the trees and meticulously covered the wagons with bitumen-lined cloths to keep their food and firewood from getting drenched. Max led Rem through the busy knights and tied the reins around a large tree, then removed the saddle. She walked to her tent with her bag in hand, when Riftan suddenly came up behind her and took the burden from her hands.
“Come with me.”
Max followed him away from where the knights were gathered and onto a large tent that was set up under a tall, thick, leafy tree. Riftan tossed her bags inside and held the flap open for her to enter. Max crawled inside and sighed as Riftan shot her a scathing look, as if telling her to be good and stay put, before leaving her.
The floor was covered with bitumen-lined cloths and thick blankets, which made the floor quite soft. After spending all day in a saddle, she was grateful for the plush blankets that cradled her aching behind. She took off her boots and set them aside. She wanted to remove her clothes that were soaked with days of sweat, but she was left with only a clean tunic. If possible, she wanted to change it after taking a bath. But will they be able to find a spring today?
As she debated whether she should venture into the woods in search of water, the sound of raindrops started to pour audibly. Max poker her head out of the tent, startled. All of a sudden, thick raindrops began to fall from the now pale, cloudy sky. Max lifted the flap on the tent all the way up to see where Riftan was taking refuge, but she saw him rubbing his face and neck just a few steps from her tent. She blinked, unable to understand what he was doing. Riftan turned and gestured for her to come out and get under the heavy rain.
“Maxi, come here.”
Suddenly, Riftan took off his armor and laid it on the ground. His tunic instantly got soaked with rainwater, and it wasn’t just Riftan. With the exception of those who stayed armed as they had to stand guard, all the knights removed their armor and allowed the rain to wash away dried sweat and dirt. Everyone was acting like children who got excited while playing in the water, some even started washing their hair, and Hebaron shamelessly took off his shirt and began rubbing every inch of his torso. Max watched them with a puzzled look.
“Come here. If you don’t wash yourself now, there may not be another chance to wash up.”
“B-But...”
Like that there was no way of washing her body modestly outdoors. She wanted to flatly refuse, but she was dying to cleanse her body of the filth that clung to her. Max looked at the knights enjoying the rain with envy, and finally, the desire to wash away the grime overcame any personal reservations she had. She grabbed the soap in her bag and crawled out of the tent. The thick raindrops instantly soaked her entire body and Max groaned at the refreshing sensation of the cold water hitting her face. Although she couldn’t take off her clothes like the knights, she could at least hide behind a tree to wash her hair and face, so she walked behind the tent and quickly lathered her hair before the rain stopped, but Riftan followed her and grabbed her arm.
“Come this way.”
Max followed him, stepping over the wet blades of grass without knowing why. Riftan led her away from the crowd, to a place swarmed with thick bushes and trees. Riftan brought her behind a huge rock boulder, then took out a cloth and tied it to the tree branches, instantly creating a private space just for her.
“I told them not to let anyone come near here, so relax and wash to your heart’s content.”
Max wiped the rain from her eyes, then turned to look at the direction where the knights were gathered. Even though she couldn’t see them as he created this enclosed space just for herself, and there were thick trees and bushes between them, she still felt extremely uneasy. However, it was not the time to think deeply about it. She had a burning desire to take a bath and there was no knowing when the rain might suddenly stop.
Max glanced at Riftan’s face over the tarp, then he took steps back as if to stand guard. She then hurriedly removed her clothes. The raindrops hitting her bare skin made her shudder, it was a strange feeling. Then, she hung her clothes on a nearby branch and rubbed every inch of her skin with the palm of her hands—rubbing away the accumulated sweat and dirt.
What if a stranger suddenly jumps out from behind the bushes, or a wild animal, or a monster suddenly attacked? Even though she trembled from her worries, Max lathered soap all over her body, cleaned herself thoroughly, and washed her hair haphazardly. Fortunately, the rain continued to pour and gradually began to fall heavier. It fell so frighteningly strong that the surroundings almost became a hazy white. Her vision clouded as the thick curtain of rain fell and her anxieties began to wither away as a strange smile erupted out of her lips: never in her life did she imagine that she would bathe under the rain in a forest like that.
Max laughed and tilted her head back, allowing the water to wash the soap from her hair and face. Satisfied with the cleanliness she achieved, she turned to pick up her wet clothes, when suddenly, she realized that the division between her and Riftan was gone. Max took a step back and looked around in confusion. The ropes that supported the bitumen-lined cloth seemed to have been unable to withstand the force of the pouring rain and loosened. The cloth now drooped helplessly on the ground, dangling from a single branch.
Riftan stood stiffly on the other side, motionless like a statue, and Max froze at the expression she read in his face. His burning gaze swept over her wet shoulders, her hair that drooped over it, then lingered long on her breasts. His thick neck convulsed and tensed. Max felt her throat burn as his gaze continued to move to her flat abdomen, her pale thighs, then her white feet lined with blue veins, then went back to her eyes. A strange sense of helplessness washed over her. He was gazing at her with such a look of enchantment, as if it were the first time he had seen her naked, that his reaction to her only made her embarrassment grow.
Max felt herself turning red and quickly grabbed her clothes to cover her chest. However, Riftan approached her with one wide stride and grabbed her hand. His rough fingers, cold from the rain, intertwined with hers.
“Don’t.” His voice was breathless, barely a whisper against the heavy sound of the rain. “Let me see for a little more. Do you know how much I’ve...”
He couldn’t even speak his words properly. Max looked up at him, he was trembling like a bird caught in a trap, begging for something. A suppressed moan escaped out of Riftan’s lips, and his body trembled as if his self-control was hanging by just a thread. He reached out and brushed his hand against her body, unable to resist the temptation in front of his eyes.
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